Air conditioning device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12257882-B2
Application number	US-202118044013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2021
Priority date	Sep 24, 2020
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A control device of a vehicle air-conditioning apparatus, in a heating operation by use of a heating unit, has at least a temperature control target heat absorption heating mode in which a refrigerant that has been discharged from a compressor and has dissipated heat in the heating unit absorbs heat in a temperature control target-specific heat exchanger, and a combined heating mode in which the refrigerant that has been discharged from the compressor and has dissipated heat in the heating unit absorbs heat in an outdoor heat exchanger and the temperature control target-specific heat exchanger, and during the heating operation in the combined heating mode, performs control in such a manner as to determine an operating state that allows the refrigerant to accumulate in the outdoor heat exchanger, and switch to the temperature control target heat absorption heating mode to execute the heating operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
a refrigerant circuit including a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, a heating unit configured to heat blowing air to be blown into an air-conditioning target space, and an outdoor heat exchanger configured to cause the refrigerant to absorb heat;
a device temperature adjustment circuit including a temperature control target-specific heat exchanger configured to adjust, by use of the refrigerant, the temperature of a temperature control target mounted on a vehicle; and
a control device configured to control the refrigerant circuit and the device temperature adjustment circuit, wherein
in a heating operation for heating the interior of the vehicle by use of the heating unit, the control device is programmed to perform:
a temperature control target heat absorption heating mode in which the refrigerant that has been discharged from the compressor and has dissipated heat in the heating unit absorbs heat in the temperature control target-specific heat exchanger, and
a combined heating mode in which the refrigerant that has been discharged from the compressor and has dissipated heat in the heating unit absorbs heat in the outdoor heat exchanger and the temperature control target-specific heat exchanger, and

during the heating operation in the combined heating mode, the control device is programmed to determine an operating state that allows the refrigerant to accumulate in the outdoor heat exchanger, and switch to the temperature control target heat absorption heating mode to execute the heating operation.

2. The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein upon a state in which a refrigerant discharge pressure value of the outdoor heat exchanger is less than a refrigerant suction pressure value of the compressor continuing for a given period of time or longer, the control device determines to be in the operating state that allows the refrigerant to accumulate in the outdoor heat exchanger, and switches from the combined heating mode to the temperature control target heat absorption heating mode to execute the heating operation.

3. The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant discharge pressure value is a value calculated based on a refrigerant discharge temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger and a refrigerant saturation temperature.

4. The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the refrigerant suction pressure value is a value calculated based on a refrigerant suction temperature of the compressor and the refrigerant saturation temperature.

5. The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein upon a state in which a refrigerant discharge temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger is less than a refrigerant suction temperature of the compressor continuing for a given period of time or longer, the control device determines to be in the operating state that allows the refrigerant to accumulate in the outdoor heat exchanger, and switches from the combined heating mode to the temperature control target heat absorption heating mode to execute the heating operation.

6. The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the refrigerant discharge temperature is a value calculated based on a refrigerant discharge pressure value of the outdoor heat exchanger and a refrigerant saturation temperature.

7. The vehicle air-conditioning apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the refrigerant suction temperature is a value calculated based on a refrigerant suction pressure value of the compressor and the refrigerant saturation temperature.

8. The vehicle air-conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein upon the compressor being operating at a given number of revolutions or less, or upon the compressor being operating intermittently, the control device determines to be in the operating state that allows the refrigerant to accumulate in the outdoor heat exchanger, and switches from the combined heating mode to the temperature control target heat absorption heating mode to execute the heating operation.

Assignees

• Sanden Corp

Inventors

• SHIBAOKA Yoshiki
• Yamashita Kouhei
• Zhang Hongming
• Okamoto Yoshiyuki
• Matsumura Takayuki
• MATSUZAKI Kodai

Classifications

• B60H1/3213

  for increasing the efficiency in a vehicle heat pump · CPC title

• B60H1/00914

  where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is a bypass of the condenser · CPC title

• B60H1/00921

  where the flow direction of the refrigerant does not change and there is an extra subcondenser, e.g. in an air duct · CPC title

• B60H2001/00928

  comprising a secondary circuit · CPC title

• B60H2001/00307

  Component temperature regulation using a liquid flow · CPC title